Multi-angle panel holding device

ABSTRACT

A multi-angle panel holding device for use on colorimeters comprising a base plate, a rotary turret plate which defines an aperture set in the base plate, and a housing member which encloses a panel holder which is capable of free angular rotation in a vertical and/or horizontal plane relative to the direction of incident light from the colorimeter.

United States Patent 91 'Van Dyk et al.

[111 3,708,233 51 Jan. 2, 1973 [54] MULTI-ANGLE PANEL HOLDING DEVICE [75] lnventorszlohn W. Van Dyk, Wilmington, Del.; Roy H. Vining, Haverford; David Wittman, Wallingford, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.

[22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 105,827

[52] US. Cl ..356/244, 356/209 [51] Int. Cl. ..G01n 21/16, GOln 21/48 [58] Field of Search ..356/244, 246, 209-212; 250/222, 215, 5055 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,519,360 7/1970 Kudlek ..356/244 X 2,127,477 8/1938 Carpenter et al ..356/209 3,245,306 4/1966 Potter et al ..356/209 2,897,717 8/1959 Farrington.... ..356/244 X 3,234,652 2/1966 Smith ..356/244 X 3,432,243 3/1969 l-lardesty ..356/176 2,919,353 12/1959 Paradise ..250/212 UX Scott ..356/176 X 2,406,166 8/1946 3,111,881 11/1963 Vegors et al. 1,949,619 3/1934 Pfund 3,349,665 10/1967 Grosheim et al. ..356/209 X 2,388,727 ll/l945 Dench ..356/209 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 9/1950 Great Britain "356/210 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Pesch et al., IBM Tech. Discl. Bulletin, Vol. 12, No. 1, June, 1969, p. 42.

Primary Examiner-Ronald L. Wibert Assistant Examiner-V. P. McGraw Att0rneyJ0hn E. Griffiths [5 7] ABSTRACT A multi-angle panel holding device for use on colorimeters comprising a base plate, a rotary turret plate which defines an aperture set in the base plate, and a housing member which encloses a panel holder which is capable of free angular rotation in a vertical and/or horizontal plane relative to the direction of incident light from the colorimeter.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJM 2mm 3.708.233

SHEET 1 [1F 2 FIG-l INVENTORS JOHN w. VAN DYK ROY H. VINING DAVID WITTMAN 9&6, A RNEY PATENTED AM 2191s 3. 708.233

' sum 2 or 2 INVENTORS JOHN W. VAN DYK I ROY H. VINING DAVID WITTMAN MULTI-ANGLE PANEL HOLDING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Colorimeters have been commonly used to measure light reflectance of various paint films which have been coated over test panels. These measurements which ap proximate C. I.E.'( C.I.E. (Commission Internationale del lEclaige further described in Color Science, pages 238-321 by Gunter Wyszecki and W. S. Stiles published by J. Wiley & Sons, lnc., (1967).) tristimulus values which enable paint chemists to accurately categorize various paint colors and thereby more accurately control paint production to a standard color by matching tristimulus values. For a paint containing no light reflecting flakes or platelets, tristimulus readings at any angle of the panel relative to the direction of incident light will produce a meaningful value. Normal colorimeter panel holders possess a means to hold a panel at a single angle relative to the direction of incident light. However, as the paint industry recognized a need to become more sophisticated with respect to the aesthetic quality of their paint products, they began to utilize light reflecting flakes such as aluminum in their paints to obtain high glamour effects.

Paints containing light reflecting flakes are characterized by a two-tone or flip-flopeffect whereby the apparent color of the paint changes at different viewing angles. This effect is due to the orientation of the light reflecting flakes in the paint film. Consequently tristimulus values for a given test panel are different for various viewing angles and a single set at the usual angle normal to the plane of the panel no longer is sufficient. A series of tristimulus values at various angles must be taken in order to accurately categorize a given flake containing color standard. Similarly, test panels coated with non-standard flake containing paints must be measured at the same angles used to characterize the standard in order to accurately compare the standard and non-standard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a multi-angle panel holding device which can be used in conjunction with a standard colorimeter to allow for multi-angle colorimetric measurements. This device can be successfully adopted for use in an instrumental shading system such as is disclosed in copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 26,269, filed Apr. 7, 1970, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. This device consists generally of a housing fastened to a rotary turret plate within or on a base plate to allow for rotation of the housing with respect to the base plate in a horizontal plane. Also, within the housing is a panel holding means pivotally attached to the housing which allows for rotation of the panel holding means in a vertical plane. The degree of rotation in either vertical or horizontal planes can be set and determined by locking means and calibration marks. Light focused from the colorimeter on the test panel can form any grazing angle relative to a panel retained by the panel holding means depending on the degree of rotation which the device is adjusted.

This device can be more easily understood by reference to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING dicator along the axis C-C of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing, there is shown a multiangle panel holding device. Such device includes a housing consisting of an upper housing 5 and a lower housing 3 (not shown) which protrudes through and is secured to the edge of a rotary turret plate 1 to form an opening in the turret plate 1. The upper housing 5 is hingedly attached flush with a lower housing 3 by hinging means 11 and secured to the lower housing 3 by locking means 12 so as to provide a light-tight structure. The turret plate 1 is set flush with and parallel to a base plate 2 to allow for free horizontal rotation of the turret plate 1 with respect to the base plate 2. The outer edge of the turret plate I can be calibrated in degrees in order to be able to accurately determine the degree of rotation of the turret plate I relative to a fixed point in the base plate 2. Set screws 14 may be used to secure the turret plate 1 and prevent any accidental rotation from a desired setting.

FIG. 2 shows in greater detail a pressure plate 13 attached to a panel holder base plate 10 by hinging means 16 shown in FIG. 4. The panel holder base plate 10 is pivotally attached perpendicular to the sides of the lower housing 3 by means of pivot pins 9. The pressure plate 13 and the panel holder base plate 10 are parallel to one another when closed, thereby to form a slotted enclosure in which a test panel 18 can be in serted as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. A plate latch 15 is attached to the upper surface of the pressure plate 13 to secure it to the panel holder base plate 10 in order to securely retain a test panel. The panel holder base plate 10 is preferably horseshoe shaped so as to define an apperture whereby light from the colorimeter can be focused on the surface of a panel retained within the slot formed by the panel holder base plate 10 and the pressure plate, 13. A spring loaded angle selector 4 is attached to the side of the lower housing 3 and is designed to mesh with a notched semicircular plate 8 which is mounted perpendicular on the panel holder base plate 10 and parallel to the lower housing 3. This enables the pressure plate 13 and the panel holder base plate 10 to rotate vertically on the pivot pins 9 and be locked in place at any desired angle.

Another semicircular plate which serves as an angle plate 10. Hinging means 16 allows the pressure plate 13 to swing open and away from the panel holder base plate 10 thereby allowing the test panel to be inserted face down on the panel holder base plate 10. The angle indicator 6 is incrementally marked in degrees as shown in order to precisely measure the degree of angular rotation on the pivot pins 9 of the panel.

FIG. 4 shows, in detail, the angle selecting means which consists of a notched semi-circular plate 8 which mates with a lever 4 which is spring 7 loaded. The lever direction of emitted light from the colorimeter. This light is then reflected back from the test panel into a .photocell contained within the colorimeter thereby being pivotally mounted on the side of the lower housing 3 with the spring recessed into a cavity in the lower housing.

This device is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a standard colorimeter to obtain tristimupanel holder base plate 13 and pressure plate 10 which are hingedly attached. Theseplates may be of any size and shape so long as they securely hold a panel and permit incident light from a controlled external source to be focused on the bottom surface of the panel through an aperture in the panel holder base plate. This aperture should be at least as large as the largest diameter light beam which focused on the panel from the colorimeter.

-'.The panel holder base plate 13 is attached to the side of the lower housing by means of pivot pins 9 in order to allow rotation in a vertical plane. However, various I other rotational devices such as pivot bars and the like can be used to perform this function. The panel holding means should contain a means for determining the amount of angular rotation in a vertical plane. In the preferred structure, this is accomplished by a semi-circular plate attached to the panel holder base plate called an angle indicator 6 in conjunction with a pointer 17 which is attached to the side of the housing 5.

The housing can be of any shape with the limiting restriction being that it be light-tight, i.e., capable of preventing any outside light from entering the interior of the housing. The housing also provides a means of support for the panel holding means. The preferred housing is divided into an upper housing 5 and'a lower housing 3 which are hingedly attached to each other.

The housing and panel holding means should be fixed to a means for rotating the housing means in or on a base plate, preferably having a circular aperture to allow a circular rotary turret plate to fit therein. This isv accomplished by a rotary turret plate 1 which is set flush in the base plate 2. The inner edge of the base plate 2 and the outer edge of the turret plate 1 can be similarly beveled in order that these bevelededges mate thereby allowing for free horizontal rotation. The

by the panel holding means which allows the test panel to be so positioned at any grazingangle relative to the producing tristimulus readings.

Means for locking the turret plate 1 in relation to its rotational position on the base plate 2 can be provided by any type of fastener with set screws 14 being preferred. Means for locking the panel holding means at any selected angle is also desirable. The preferred component is a spring loaded angle selector 4 which meshes with a notched semi-circular plate 8 which is fixed to the panel holder base plate 10.

This device enables tristimulus values to be determined for any incident angle relative to the direction of light from the colorimeter into the test panel. This is essential in obtaining reflectance values formetallics as multi-angular readings must be taken for a given panel toaccurately characterize a paint or other film coating.

We claim:

1. The multi-angle panel holding device comprising A. a baseplate having a circular aperture B. a rotary turret plate within said base plate, said rotary turret 'plate being circular and having a beveled edge capable of mating with a similar beveled edge of the base plate thereby allowing for free rotation in a horizontal plane a C. a housing mounted on said turret'plate, said housing being divided into an upper and lower housing, said upper and lower housing being hingedly fastened to each other, and e a D. a panel holding means attached to said housing, said panel holding means having attached thereto, means for adjusting and determining angular rotation in a vertical plane and'means for locking the panel holding means, said panel holding means being two plates of similar size which are hingedly connected to one another, these two plates being so situated so as to form an upper and a lower plate, said lower plate being a panel holder base plate and having an aperture therethrough, said lower plate pivotally attached to said lower housing, said upper plate being a pressure plate.

2. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 1 wherein locking means are attached to the base plate adjacent to the circular aperture to restrict movement of the turret plate, wherein the turret plate is incrementally marked in degrees at its outer edge in order to accurately determine the degree of rotation in a horizontal plane with respect to a fixed point on the base plate,

wherein the means'for adjusting and determining the amount of rotation in a vertical plane is a semicircular plate incrementally marked in degrees which is perpendicularly mounted on the edgeof the panel holder base plate and wherein the means for locking the panel holding means is a notched semicircular plate mounted on said panel holder base plate opposite and parallel to the incrementally marked semicircular plate, said notched semicircular plate capable of mating I with a spring loaded lever pivotally mounted on the side of the hous- 3. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 2 wherein the panel holder base plate is attached to the lower housing by pivot pins.

4. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 3 wherein a plate latch is mounted on the panel holding 6 means pressure plate capable'of securing said pressure 7. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 3 Plate to the p f holder base P wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding 5. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 1 means wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding 8. The multbangle panel holding device of claim 4 means. 5

wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding 6. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 2 means.

wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding means. 

1. The multi-angle panel holding device comprising A. a base plate having a circular aperture B. a rotary turret plate within said base plate, said rotary turret plate being circular and having a beveled edge capable of mating with a similar beveled edge of the base plate thereby allowing for free rotation in a horizontal plane C. a housing mounted on said turret plate, said housing being divided into an upper and lower housing, said upper and lower housing being hingedly fastened to each other, and D. a panel holding means attached to said housing, said panel holding means having attached thereto, means for adjusting and determining angular rotation in a vertical plane and means for locking the panel holding means, said panel holding means being two plates of similar size which are hingedly connected to one another, these two plates being so situated so as to form an upper and a lower plate, said lower plate being a panel holder base plate and having an aperture therethrough, said lower plate pivotally attached to said lower housing, said upper plate being a pressure plate.
 2. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 1 wherein locking means are attached to the base plate adjacent to the circular aperture to restrict movement of the turret plate, wherein the turret plate is incrementally marked in degrees at its outer edge in order to accurately determine the degree of rotation in a horizontal plane with respect to a fixed point on the base plate, wherein the means for adjusting and determining the amount of rotation in a vertical plane is a semicircular plate incrementally marked in degrees which is perpendicularly mounted on the edge of the panel holder base plate and wherein the means for locking the panel holding means is a notched semicircular plate mounted on said panel holder base plate opposite and parallel to the incrementally marked semicircular plate, said notched semicircular plate capable of mating with a spring loaded lever pivotally mounted on the side of the housing.
 3. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 2 wherein the panel holder base plate is attached to the lower housing by pivot pins.
 4. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 3 wherein a plate latch is mounted on the panel holding means pressure plate capable of securing said pressure plate to the panel holder base plate.
 5. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 1 wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding means.
 6. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 2 wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding means.
 7. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 3 wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding means.
 8. The multi-angle panel holding device of claim 4 wherein a panel is contained within the panel holding means. 